


My Guardian Angel

by EddiPoo



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Badass Moments With Sam And Dean, Concerned Castiel, Cuddling, Cute Head-On-Lap Sleeping, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Feels, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Injured Castiel, Love, OFC - Freeform, Original Female Character - Freeform, Podfic, Podfic Available, Protective Castiel, Reader Insert, Rescue, Romance, Squee, Supernatural - Freeform, castiel/reader - Freeform, castielxreader, reader - Freeform, you - Freeform, you!fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-27
Updated: 2013-06-13
Packaged: 2017-12-13 02:59:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/819182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EddiPoo/pseuds/EddiPoo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"Lifting your head and calling on all your strength you whispered to the night, 'Castiel... I need you..."</i>
</p><p>You have a bad encounter with several men in a dark alleyway. And there is no escape. Until an angel in a trench coat comes to your rescue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. My Guardian Angel

**Author's Note:**

> Podfic of this work is also available.
> 
> https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0sKBunVJHT0cHY0czdNWFhOSWs/edit?usp=sharing

The night was chilly as you exited the theater. You had made plans to see the show with some friends, but they had all backed out last minute. Not wanting to waste the ticket, you had gone by yourself. Now you wish you had someone to walk home with you in the dark.

Several blocks later the lights became fewer and the sounds of voices and laughter were drowned in the distance. Cars could be heard several streets over. The steady *plink *plink of water dripping from the rain gutters onto empty trash bins only made the street more eerie than ever. Why had you come this way? You should have taken a taxi or called a friend. But it was too late now. Clutching your handbag and walking faster you rounded a corner and nearly ran into a group of men standing on the sidewalk. Their faces were dark and the shadows of distant street lights played on their features making them seem distorted.

“Going somewhere?” one man asked. The orange glow of his cigarette lit up his face as he took a drag. Exhaling deeply, he tossed the butt on the ground and used the heel of his shoe to extinguish it.

There must have been five or six of these men and they were all turned and staring at you. Backing away slowly, you apologize for nearly running into them, then turned and walked briskly in the opposite direction. Anything to get away from them and the slimy feeling you got just from being in their presence. But the feeling never left, and when you looked back, they had begun to follow.

Trying to act composed, you kept walking at a steady pace and didn’t turn your head to look at them again. There was no need. You could feel their icy stares and hear the quiet sound of their shoes on the pavement behind you. Now was your chance. As you turned down another street you were momentarily out of their view and you took off at a sprint. When the men realized where you had gone, shouts ensued and the sound of their footsteps drumming on the sidewalk became more frequent. They shouted obscenities and called you ‘their bitch.’ You pushed yourself harder knowing that only the worst could happen if they caught up to you. Feeling like a deer chased by a wolf pack you tried your best to elude them. But somewhere in the maze of trash bins and fire escapes you made a wrong turn. Dead end.

The alley ended in a brick wall and there was no way out. Spinning on the spot you hoped to retrace your steps but silhouettes soon filed into the entrance of the alley.

“Well, well. What have we here?”

Your arms were trembling.

“Please, I don’t want any trouble,” you say, and begin slowly backing away. One man reached out and snatched your bag. You gave a slight yelp but didn’t protest when he wrenched it from your fingers. He quickly pocketed the cash and tossed the bag in a puddle and walked past it toward you.

“I’m gonna make you wish you had never been born,” one man breathed.

He lunged at you and the others joined in, tearing at your clothes. You screamed, but it seemed no one could hear you. Their hands were hot and sweaty as they touched you. The brick wall was pressed against you back and you fought, clawing and punching, to escape. But to no avail. There were simply too many of them. They caught your wrists, preventing you from fighting back. You were shoved to the ground, and restrained. One of your attackers put his hands over your neck, slowly pressing the life out of you. You could see them around you, your view from below making you feel inferior. But that was what they wanted. Gasping for breath you tried to fight the hands choking you, but your wrists were still restrained. Near your feet you could see one man begin to undo his pants and you knew they worst was yet to come. You only hoped that you would be unconscious by then. Blacks and reds began to cloud your vision and you could no longer focus. The pain of his strong arms crushing your throat were nothing to the ache in your chest, the need for oxygen was excruciating. Everything began to fade out.

Then an almost inaudible fluttering sound. And a light. The grip on your throat was suddenly gone. You curled up coughing, trying not to vomit. Your eyes would not focus. You rolled over onto your stomach and braced your self with your hands, ignoring the puddles of dirty water that pooled in the dips in the pavement. Bruises were already forming on your body. You were sure that they had done permanent damage to your throat, crushing or breaking something. You couldn’t be sure. You only knew it hurt like hell.

The men were dropping around you, but you remained curled up on the cold, wet pavement, not managing to bear the pain of raising your head to see your rescuer. More sounds of punches and yells and then the last man fell to the ground unconscious. Or dead. You couldn’t be sure.

Your breath was still labored and you squeezed your eyes shut, clenching your teeth against the pain. You let out a quiet whimper. Someone put a hand to your shoulder.

Frightened you shrunk away and gasped slightly, spinning your head to look at the stranger. This only hurt your neck and tears of pain slid down your cheeks. Your face was twisted up in a mixed expression of fear, confusion, and agony.

“I’m not going to harm you,” a gruff voice said.

You put a hand to your neck gasping for breath and not being able to speak. He had just saved your life. You couldn’t even thank him.

He noticed you were trembling, though he couldn’t tell if it was because of the cold or the pain.  Without thinking he removed his cream colored trench coat and draped it over you.  The coat was warm and smelled like rain rather than the stench of the filthy water that pooled on the asphalt below you. In one quick movement he scooped you up in his arms. You cried out in agony, squeezing your eyes shut and gritting your teeth to hold back a scream. There was a fluttering sound, and when you opened your eyes you were no longer in an alleyway, but in a small and simple bedroom. The sound of distant traffic was replaced by the quiet tick of a clock and the fluorescent glow of streetlamps had become soft light from a lamp in the corner. Confused you wanted to ask questions, but didn't even know where to begin. In your surprise you momentarily forgot about the pulsating agony that throbbed in your neck, but in an instant it all came flooding back. You wondered if you were ever going to be able to speak again. The pain was excruciating and never before had you experienced such agony. He gently set you on a bed and you could see in his gentle eyes that his heart ached from seeing you in pain. You let the tears flow as two fingers were pressed to your forehead.  Then suddenly it was all gone. All the pain, the bruises, the loud pounding of your heart in your ears, all gone. Opening your eyes slowly you looked down at your wrists. The skin was its normal color. You put your hands to your throat expecting pain, but feeling nothing but the smooth skin of your neck. Everything was healed.

“I am sorry,” the deep voice spoke once again, “I should have done that first. I was not thinking.”

You sat up in bed and turned to the man who stood beside you. He stood just under six feet tall and wore a tailored suit and a blue tie. His cream trench coat was still draped around you. His chin showed a hint of stubble and his face was mostly expressionless. Except for his eyes. His sky blue eyes almost glowed and you could easily see the kindness that they held.

“But how--?” you start to ask, but then stop because there was simply too much to ask.

“My name is Castiel. I am an angel of the lord.”

This answered none of your questions but you didn't even know where else to start. Your shoulders still shook and the tears didn’t stop, even though the pain was gone. Your emotions overwhelmed you.

“But those men,” you start, “They would have--”

“Yes,” Castiel said quietly, “They would have. But you are safe now.”

“Then why am I still so afraid?”

You raised your shaking hands to cover your tear streaked face, ashamed that you were so out of control. You felt the mattress sink as Castiel sat down on the bed beside you. He seemed unsure of himself and hesitated for a long moment before he wrapped his arms around you and slowly pulled you into a gentle embrace. Your head sank to his chest. The tears flowed freely, wetting the front of his suit. Something about him made you trust him, even though you barely knew this man. He held you tight. Even when a long time had passed and you couldn’t cry anymore, he held you anyway.


	2. The Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Lifting your head and calling on all your strength you whispered to the night, 'Castiel... I need you...'"
> 
> After you are welcomed into the safe house by the Winchesters, you turn in for the night. A nightmare of the indecent in the alleyway leaves you scared and alone. Luckily your guardian angel Castiel returns to comfort you.

When you were able to calm down and Castiel felt that your shoulders no longer trembled, he asked if you were going to be alright.

“I will be now,” you say and manage a smile.

Castiel got up from the bed and walked into the kitchen.

“I am not accustomed to human habits,” he said from the other room, “So please let me know if you need anything.”

Castiel was washing his hands in the sink. You got off the bed and shyly walked toward him.

“Actually there is something,” you say hesitantly, “Do you have any other clothes? Mine... have seen better days.”

You stood in the doorway, clutching the trench coat around you. Your pants were fine but the front of your shirt was completely torn. 

“There might be something in the bedroom,” Castiel said, and you followed him into the next room. A large bed was pushed up against the wall, but aside from that there was no other furniture in the room. Castiel opened the closet.

“I am sorry there is nothing for females.”

“That’s alright,” you told him, “Anything will do for now.”

Castiel left to let you change. It was clearly a man’s closet and most of the shirts were either t-shirts or button up plaids. Pushing the plaid button ups aside, you finally decided on a plain black t-shirt. It was the smallest one you could find, but it would still be pretty big on you. You took the trench coat off and laid it on the bed. Surprisingly it was still clean, even after the nights previous events. Pulling off your torn clothes you tossed them on the floor, disgusted of the reminder they posed to you. You pulled the t-shirt over your head and pulled your hair to the side. You were right. The shirt was big, but it would do. Picking up the trench coat off the bed you noticed once again that it smelled like rain. Not just water, but rain on dirt, and it smelled good.

“I wonder where he buys his detergent,” you joked to yourself. There was something about that coat that you loved and you didn’t know why. Even though you didn’t have anything to cover anymore, you slipped your arms into the sleeves once again. The coat was still warm and for some reason was very comforting. The sleeves were long and the tips of your fingers barely stuck out from the ends. It went just past your knees and the broad shoulders were much too wide for your slender form. But it made you feel safe. Picking up the torn shirt from the floor, you rejoined Castiel in the kitchen.

Tossing the shirt in the trash you asked him, “So do you live here?”

“This is a temporary dwelling,” he said in his gruff voice, “My friends come here to do research or hide.”

“Hide from what?” you asked, but Castiel didn’t answer.

Just then car lights shone through the front window. It was too dark outside to see what kind of car it was or even who was driving. You looked to Castiel, a little afraid of who the guest could be. 

“These are the friends I spoke of,” Castiel told you, “More like my family.”

Castiel looked very happy when he said that. The door opened and two men barged in. The first was shorter than the other but was still taller than Castiel. He had short blond hair and a sawed-off shotgun in his hands.

“Damn it Cas!” he said lowering his weapon. Then he saw you and he raised it slightly again. “Who’s this and what is she doing in our safe house.”

“Dean,” the other man said putting his hand on Dean’s gun and lowering it. He could see that you were frightened and then noticed that you were wearing Castiel’s trench coat. “She’s with Cas.”

You couldn’t help the scared look in your eyes. You were not accustomed to having a gun pointed at your face. 

“Sorry,” the taller man said, “Dean is always on the offense. I’m Sam. And this is my brother Dean. Uh, Winchester that is. And you seem to already know Cas.”

“I just met him tonight,” you said, “My name is (y/n) by the way.”

You sunk your hands into the coat pockets and smiled slightly waiting for the awkwardness to go away. Sam finally turned and closed the door. Dean had already lowered his gun and seemed completely trusting now. “So how do you know this joker?” he asked, gesturing to Castiel.

“She was being attacked,” Castiel spoke up, “I did what I thought was right. I hope it isn’t a problem that I brought her here.”

“No it isn’t a problem,” Dean said, “But she isn’t hidden like we are. If the angels know you saved her, they might be looking for her to find you.”

“Youre right,” Cas replied. Turning to you he hesitantly said, “This might hurt a bit.”

“What are you talking abou--”

But just then Castiel reached out and pressed his palm to your chest. A surge of energy pulsed through your body leaving an uncomfortable pressure on your ribs. When Castiel removed his hand the energy ceased and you bent over slightly, gasping. Sam put a hand on your back.

“You alright?” he asked.

“What the hell was that?” you asked.

“Enochian sigil,” Castiel replied, “Symbols. I carved them into your ribs. They will help keep you safe.

“Safe from what?” you asked, starting to get a little frustrated that you still had no idea what was going on.

The three of them looked at you and hesitated. Sam finally spoke up.

“We hunt monsters,” he said plainly, “demons, vampires, trickster gods-- they’re all real. And we find them and kill them before they can kill us. It’s sort of a family business.”

The expression on your face hadn't changed but you were deep in thought. You didn’t know why on earth you believed these three strangers, but you did. Confused you turned back to Castiel.

“Wait. So when you said you were an angel of the lord, that was real. Not a lie or practical joke. You meant it.”

“Yes,” Castiel said, tipping his head to the side slightly, not quite understanding how it could be considered a practical joke. Dean saw that you were still confused.

“The thing that Cas carved into your ribs will hide you from the other angels. Cas isn’t exactly popular in heaven right now and keeping a low profile is usually the best way to stay alive,” he said.

There was still so much to ask and even what they told you didn’t make sense. Sam seemed to read your thoughts.

“We know this is probably a lot to take in. You’ve had a rough night and its past 2:00 am. What do you say we call it a night and we will explain everything to you in the morning.”

Until he mentioned it you hadn’t realized how tired you actually were. Slowly you looked at the three of them and then nodded. 

Dean readjusted the duffel bag on his shoulder. “You can take the bed in my room,” he said, “Sammy would never fit on the couch.” He smiled and clapped his hand on his 6’4” tall brother’s shoulder. He slung his bag on the floor and collapsed on the couch. Sam almost rolled his eyes. 

“Come on,” he said, “I’ll show you Dean’s room.”

Castiel still stood in the same spot as you turned and followed Sam.

“This is Dean’s-- now your room. I’m right across the hall and you know where Dean is if you need us.”

“What about Castiel?” You asked.

“Cas doesn’t sleep,” he replied, “I’m not sure what he does or where he goes.”

You thought that very strange and wondered what you would do if you never had to sleep.

“Thank you,” you said, looking up at this tall stranger who was letting you sleep in his home.

“You’re welcome,” he replied, not quite knowing what to say to you. “Well good night,” he said with a smile.

Sam turned and went into his room. You turned towards Dean’s room, but then remembered you were still wearing Castiel’s coat. Turning around to where he had been standing just seconds before, you expected to him standing there, but he was gone. Vanished as fast as he had appeared in the alleyway. You didn’t know why, but it made you sad. Maybe you just liked him being there. It made you feel safer. But now he was nowhere to be found.

You entered Dean’s room and closed the door behind you. After removing the trench coat you hung it on a hook in the wall and flopped down on the bed. You kicked off your shoes and slipped out of your pants and slid between the sheets, exhaustion overtaking you and leading you into a deep sleep.

You were back in the alley. The dark figures were warped and distorted and even the buildings seemed angry. Though the men’s faces were in shadow you could see the violence and lust in their eyes as they flooded into the alley entrance. Hundreds of figures crept towards you, some coming down the fire escapes or climbing down the walls. You backed against the brick wall as you had before only to find that it burst into flame as if it had been doused in lighter fluid. The fire spread to the rooftops and dripped into the alley as if the flame were liquid. The men swarmed upon you and you could see nothing but angry faces and clawing hands. You fought back but your hands could do nothing against so many. Fire dripped onto your body and the flames soon engulfed you, burning your flesh, but still the angry faces attacked. The flames crawled over your body and fear engulfed your very soul.

“Help,” You tried to yell but all you could manage was a hoarse whisper. “Someone... Anyone...” Your voice faded out and you choked on your attempts. Your eyes flooded with tears. You squeezed them shut and swallowed hard.

Lifting your head and calling on all your strength you whispered to the night, “Castiel... I need you...”

You gasped and opened your eyes. A hand touched your brow, then smoothed over your hair. You had been dreaming, but it was over now.

“It is alright. I am here.” Castiel’s gruff voice was gentle in the darkness.

“Castiel?” you asked quietly, even though you already knew it was him. Your voice broke and you hated yourself for it. You were trying to be strong. After all, it was only a dream.

“How did you know I...” You couldn’t seem to find the right words, but Castiel still understood.

“I heard your prayer,” he replied simply.

“My prayer?”

“Didn’t you say you needed me?” he asked, sitting down on the bed beside you.

“Yes,” you say hesitantly, “But it was only in a dream...”

“I can go if you wish,” he said, and stood from the bed. 

“Wait,” you said, and caught his hand before he turned away. He stopped and slowly sat down on the bed again. He squeezed your hand and moved to take yours in both of his. “To tell you the truth...” you said, slightly ashamed, “I’m afraid.”

You could just make out his expression in the dim light, but you could clearly see his brow furrowed with concern. He paused slightly and then stretched out his hand palm towards the ceiling, his fingers relaxed slightly. A blueish, smoke-like energy curled from his fingertips toward the palm of his hand and rearranged itself into a perfect sphere no bigger than a quarter. It gave off a calm blue glow, bathing the room in gentle light.

“What is that?” you asked without removing your eyes from the light.

“My grace,” Castiel said, “A tiny part of it anyway.”

He moved his hand slightly and his grace rose a few feet in the air where it hovered over the bed like a tiny star.

Castiel pulled his hand from yours and began to remove his suit coat, then tie, and then dress shirt. He hung them over the end of the bed and walked around to the other side of the mattress. He carefully untied his shoes and laid them by the bedside and folded his socks and put them next to the shoes. Wearing only his suit pants, he pulled back the covers and crawled into the bed next to you. He stretched out on his back and you turned toward him. With his gentle arms, he pulled you close, resting your head on his chest. His skin was warm against your cheek. His chest was firm and rose gently with each breath he took. He bent his neck and placed a soft kiss on the top of your head, smoothing your hair back from your face. His arms were around you and you felt completely safe. Pulling the blankets over the two of you, he spoke, his deep voice vibrating in his chest.

“Are you still afraid?”

You lifted your head for a moment to meet his gaze and could see his grace reflected in his compassionate eyes. Putting your hand on his chest and laying your head back down, you snuggling closer to his warm body.

“Not anymore,” you said, closing your eyes.

And you fell into a peaceful sleep, knowing your guardian angel was watching over you.


	3. On The Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You closed your eyes feeling perfectly happy, not knowing that you were driving toward one of the most terrifying experiences of your life."
> 
> You, Sam, Dean, and Castiel set out to 'take care of' a witch that has been terrorizing a small town in Utah.

When you awoke the next morning your back was to Castiel’s body and his arms were wrapped around you in a gentle embrace. The morning light shone through the window, casting a warm ray of sunshine on the bed. You didn’t move, trying to take in the moment before you had to ruin it and get out of bed. Still, somehow Castiel knew that you were now awake.

“Good morning,” he said.

You rolled over so that you were facing him. With both arms in front of you, you snuggled closer to him and closed your eyes again. 

“Good morning,” you said back, “You stayed all night.”

“Of course,” Castiel replied.

“I just wasn’t sure you’d be here when I woke up,” you said, trying to hide a subtle smile. Then you remembered what Sam had mentioned the night before and lifted yourself up onto one elbow. 

“Sam told me you don’t sleep,” you said with a quizzical look in your eyes.

“That is correct,” Castiel said.

You looked at him with surprise. “So you stayed here, with me, all night and didn’t sleep?”

Castiel furrowed his brow and tipped his head slightly to the side. “Yes,” he said plainly, “I do not understand. You look surprised”

“Well... yes,” you said, laying back down, “I am.”

“Why,” he asked, still not understanding, “You needed me. And so I stayed.”

You looked into his eyes, your faces just a foot apart on the pillows.

“I’ve never met anyone like you,” you told his with an almost skeptical look in your expression, as if he were too good to be true.

 

 

The two of you dressed, Castiel once again donning his cream trench coat, and left the room. Sam was sitting at the table pouring over his laptop and some books. He looked up when he saw you.

“Morning,” he said, then his expression changed. “Cas, have you been here all night?”

“Yes,” Castiel replied, clearly not understanding what Sam was implying.

Sam tried to hold back a smile and looked at you.

“...No,” you said understanding and feeling a bit awkward.

Sam changed the subject. “Dean went to go get some pie and breakfast. I’ve been doing some research. Apparently there’s something killing people in a town called Cedar City, Utah. From the police reports it sounds like a witch. We can’t be sure until we investigate”

“A witch?” You asked, “Like broomstick and everything?”

“Yeah,” Sam replied, “Sorry, I forgot we haven’t filled you in on everything yet. Dean and I are going to go take care of whatever this creature is. It’s a whole day drive, so if you come, we will have plenty of time to explain everything in the car. If you want to come, that is.”

“It will be dangerous,” Castiel warned.

You were unsure of yourself. It was a lot to take in. A real witch? And what exactly did Sam mean by ‘take care of’? You could go with them. If you did, no one back home would probably even notice that your single bedroom apartment was unoccupied. There was always the possibility that you would just be a burden for them. But he was the one who had invited you. Plus you desperately wanted to learn more about them and all the creatures they had talked about. And then there was Castiel. You had listed all the other reasons in your head as if weighing the options, knowing full well that in the end you would go with them because of Castiel. You had never known anyone like him before and it seemed like the worst mistake of your life to let him slip away, even if there was only a small chance...

“I’d like to come,” you told them, “If you don’t think I’d get in the way.”

“We’ll teach you the basics on the drive,” Sam said, “The rest is just experience and luck.”

 

When Dean returned with breakfast and pie, the four of you ate and then packed for the road. You didn’t have anything to bring. When you mentioned this, Castiel offered to take you back to your apartment so you could get a couple belongings. You had almost forgotten that he could travel like that.

After accepting his offer and telling him where you lived you asked Sam and Dean, “Why don’t you guys always go with Castiel? It would be a lot faster than driving.”

Dean looked almost offended. “No one takes the place of my baby.”

Sam looked sideways at Dean and then back at you. “Dean prefers to drive.”

Castiel turned to face you. “Are you ready?” he asked.

You nodded nervously.

Castiel took a step forward and took your hand in his. His skin was warm as if the power inside of him was seeping through his fingertips. He looked you in the eyes and nodded. You closed your eyes and heard the subtle fluttering of wings. When you opened your eyes again, you were no longer in the safe house but in your own bedroom. The first time Castiel had taken you anywhere like this you had been in pain and too distracted to appreciate it. This time was different. You stood in awe. Castiel didn’t seem to notice and you had to remind yourself that “teleporting” was an everyday occurrence for him.

You quickly set to work packing a few things for the road. You threw a couple of t-shirts in a backpack, grabbed your toothbrush from the bathroom, and tossed a few other odds and ends in as well. It only took you a couple of minutes and when you were finished you looked at Castiel. He was busy perusing your bookshelves and looking at the few framed pictures you had in your apartment.

“Can I ask you something?” you said a bit self-consciously.

“Of course,” Castiel replied, placing the pink stuffed bunny back in its place on the shelf and turning to face you.

“Is this a good idea... coming with you guys I mean?” You said, avoiding his eye, “It’s just, Sam and Dean really seem to know what they’re doing. I’ve never done a brave thing in my life. Are you sure I wouldn’t be in the way?”

Castiel walked over to you and took the pack from your hands. “You’re stronger than you think,” he said, and then waited a long moment before adding, “...And I would like it if you came.”

“Thank you,” you told him sincerely. You took a deep breath and then in a more cheerful tone you held out your hand to him. “Shall we?”

He took it and you felt his power surge through you as the two of you disappeared.

“That was fast,” Dean said when you and Castiel had returned to the safe house. “I thought girls took forever getting ready.”

“I’ve always been a light packer,” you replied somewhat playfully.

The four of you walked out the front door of the safehouse, Sam pausing momentarily to lock the door. 

“This is my baby,” Dean said with a smile, gesturing to the sleek black ‘67 Chevy Impala parked in the driveway. You suddenly understood what he was talking about earlier. It was a beautiful car and you could tell that it was something that Dean loved and took care of. 

Dean, of course, got behind the wheel and Sam sat in the passenger’s seat. This left the back for you and Castiel, an arrangement that you were very happy about. You climbed in on the driver’s side and shut the door just as Dean turned the key in the ignition. The sleek black car came to life, purring like a cat.

Dean pulled the Impala out of the gravel driveway, up a short lane, and then onto the main road. 

“So are you going to fill me in now?” you asked the three of them, “There’s still a lot I don’t understand.”

“Then it’s a good thing its a long drive,” Sam said, and Dean flipped on the radio.

 

Seven hours, one stop for gas, and two diner meals later you finally felt like you were caught up to speed. It was so much to take in. You couldn’t believe that you had been living your whole life unaware that demons and wendigos and the like were out there terrorizing people. It seemed crazy to believe, but after seeing Castiel and what he could do, you didn’t doubt that there were a lot of things you didn’t understand or even know about. And you were open to them. 

“You’re taking this really well, actually,” Sam said when he had told you about all of the creatures he could think of, “I would have thought you would have asked us to pull over by now and let you out.”

You gave a slight laugh and joked, “I’m only screaming on the inside.” But in all seriousness you were becoming very nervous about what you were getting yourself into. You hoped that when it came down to it, in that moment that mattered most, that you could be brave.

Eventually the conversation died down. The miles passed slowly and the only sounds were the radio softly playing and the hum of the impala. You hadn’t gotten to bed until late last night and the rhythms of highway driving were starting to make you drowsy. Looking out the window you could see nothing but grassy fields swaying in the early evening breeze. Your eyes begin to close and you head drooped slightly. A slight bump on the road brought you back to consciousness.

“You look uncomfortable,” Castiel said, watching you fight it, “You may lay down if that would help you sleep.”

You gave a drowsy smile and spread out on the back seat, resting your head in Castiel’s lap. You looked up at him as if to ask ‘is this okay’, but he was already smiling. He put one hand on your waist and the other on your head, running his fingers through your hair. You closed your eyes feeling perfectly happy, not knowing that you were driving toward one of the most terrifying experiences of your life.


	4. The Library

When the impala finally rolled to a stop in the parking lot of a small rundown hotel, the sun was down and the moon high in the sky. Castiel softly spoke in your ear.

“We are here. Its time to wake up.”

You sat up, rubbing your eyes groggily and brushed the hair out of your face with your hand.

“What time is it?” you asked.

“A little past 11:00,” Dean said, “I’ll get a room, you guys can get the bags.”

The vacancy sign flickered and buzzed as you stepped out of the car. Castiel carried your pack for you and you noticed how he never brought anything with him. You wondered if he even owned any possessions. And furthermore, where did he go when he wasn’t with Sam and Dean? Did he have other friends? Or a family perhaps. Or was he just alone in this world as you felt?

The three of you met up with Dean and he unlocked the door to the small room.

Dean turned and spoke to you.

“Sorry there won’t be much privacy, but since we still aren’t sure what kind of thing we are dealing with in this town, I thought it would be safer if we were all in one room.”

You shrugged at his apology and assured Dean that you would feel a lot safer this way as well.

Castiel put your backpack on the far bed. You scrounged in one of the pockets until you found your toothbrush and walked to the bathroom to change into a pair of sweatpants. When you came back from the bathroom, Sam was spreading a sleeping bag on the floor. Feeling guilty you told him that you would sleep on the floor, but he insisted you take the bed.

“Really, it’s not a problem,” he said, “I’ve slept a lot of worse places.” And you didn’t doubt him.

You climbed under the awful, striped hotel comforter and looked at Castiel who stood near the bed, suddenly wishing that you were alone so that he might stay with you.

He looked back at you and you made eye contact. Speaking quietly so that Sam and Dean couldn’t hear, Castiel told you, “I’m going to go now, but I won’t be far. Sleep well. Nothing is going to happen tonight, I will make sure of it... good night.”

And with that he was gone. You weren’t scared because you knew that Sam and Dean were more than capable of taking care of just about anything that might come through the door, but for some reason you were always happier when Castiel was around. Dean turned off the light.

As you lay there in the dark you thought of Castiel and didn’t dare acknowledge, even to yourself, the burning emotions inside of you. But whether or not you acknowledged it, you had completely fallen for him.

 

The next morning you, Dean, and Sam left the hotel and began to investigate, searching public records and talking to friends and neighbors of the victims. The more evidence the three of you found, the more it all pointed to a witch. So far she had killed three teenage girls with spell work, Probably hex bags. Castiel turned up soon after and told what little information he was able to find. The only connection between these three girls was that they had all gone to the public library hours before they were found dead.

“That sounds promising,” Dean said, “This might be our quickest case yet.”

“Well, now what?” you asked, not knowing the usual order of these types of things.

“We wait,” Sam answered. “Later tonight we’ll go to the library, when it’s closed and there won’t be anyone else around. She’s probably hiding out there.”

Until Sam had laid it out, you hadn’t realized how terrified you really were.

 

The library was dark as you crept between the tall shelves of books. The four of you had split up, you staying with Castiel, in search of the witch.

As the two of you walked in the darkness, you began to get anxious. You were hunting a witch, in the dark, in a musty library. She could be hiding around any corner, waiting to strike, or whatever it was witches did. You realized you had never even asked and had no idea what to expect.

Castiel noticed that you were shaking. He didn’t say a word, but reached out and took your hand, giving you a soft squeeze of encouragement. He had confidence in his eyes and somehow his strength made you feel a little stronger yourself. Together you pushed on through the stacks, never letting go of each others hand.

Suddenly he stopped in front of you and put out his arm, suggesting that he had heard something. You stood perfectly still and strained your ears hoping for even the slightest hint as to the location of the witch. The rows seemed to go on forever. You noticed you were standing in the horror section of novels and reminded yourself that three days ago, you didn’t believe in any of this stuff. Now you were living it.

Castiel started moving again. You weaved in and out of every bookshelf and cart in the library. When the two of you had been down all the shelves, you met up with Dean.

“Any luck?” he asked. You and Castiel both shook your head. “That doesn’t make any sense. She’s got to be in here.”

Sam came up one of the rows of shelves and joined the group. “I take it you guys didn’t see anything either.”

“Did we make some sort of mistake?” Castiel suggested.

“We have checked everything,” you said, “and this library is the only thing those three girls had in common. We must have just missed her somewhere between th--”

But you never got to finish your sentence. Dean collapsed, clutching his throat. He looked as though someone were choking him, but there was no one around.

“Hex bag,” Sam shouted, “Find the hex bag.”

You didn’t know what a hex bag looked like but assumed you would know when you saw it. Sam frantically began searching Dean’s pockets and pulling books off the shelves, desperately searching for whatever was harming his brother. You followed, turning over a cart loaded with books and feeling under nearby tables. Dean still writhed on the floor. Panic started to overtake you and you realized what would happen if you couldn’t save Dean. You noticed Castiel wasn’t looking for the hex bag. His eyes were cast upward at the tops of the bookshelves, squinting slightly in thought. He vanished just as Sam shouted, “I found it!”

You ran to Sam just as he pulled out a lighter and held the small leather bundle over the flames. The hex bag was smaller than you expected and tied with leather strings. The brown material burned blue as the fire consumed it. Sam dropped the hex bag and ran to his brother.

Dean was breathing now but his face was very pale and you could see that crimson colored his teeth. He lay on the floor breathing hard for several seconds and then rolled onto his side to spit out the blood in his mouth. Relief spread through the three of you just as Castiel reappeared. And he was not alone.

The witch was a short blonde woman with hate in her eyes. Castiel had her by the collar and she knew that there was no escape.

“I found the witch,” Castiel said, “She was hiding on a shelf top, whispering incantations when I discovered her.”

“Finish her!” Dean yelled hoarsely.

“Wait,” Sam said, his brow furrowed as if he didn’t understand. He walked a little closer with a quizzical look in his eye.“I am curious. Why did you try to kill my brother?”

“Oh, you have to ask this question now?” Dean said in a frustrated tone.

“I’m serious.” Sam said looking at his brother and then back at the witch. “You didn’t have motive. You don’t even know who we are, do you? And what about those girls. They had nothing in common. Why kill three random teenagers?”

“Sam--,” Dean said as you helped him to his feet.

“I’m serious,” Sam said interrupting, something else is going on here.”

“What Sam says does raise some questions,” Castiel observed.

The witch finally spoke.

“Do I really need a reason for killing?” she said slightly sarcastically, “I’m a witch.”

“I think you do need a reason,” Sam said, putting things together in his mind, “You knew that there would be hunters out looking for you if you tried to pull something like this. And you barely tried to hide any of it. It took us less than a day to hunt you down. Why risk your life for meaningless deaths? What is it worth to you?”

The witch smirked. “There isn’t a lot I wouldn’t do for a human soul.”

“A human soul?” Dean said, finally realizing Sam was right and that there was more to this witch, “Who is going to pay you with a human soul?”

“They are,” she replied, enjoying the fact that she was the only one who knew who “they” were or what was going on. “Oh, you haven’t figured it out yet? Lets just say that killing three innocent girls was well worth the price. I mean, come on. A human soul. Do you even know what that’s worth?”

Then she looked straight at you, her piercing eyes making you feel vulnerable. “And it was supposed to be your soul. I see it is still intact, however... it’s never too late.”

“You’re not taking her soul,” Castiel said, feeling a bit protective and gripping her tighter than ever, “And obviously no one is giving it to you. So why are you here?”

She turned to Castiel and stood on her toes until their noses were almost touching.

Then she whispered, “To distract you.”

Suddenly iron chains materialized out of the air and wrapped their way around Castiel like snakes suffocating their prey. Each link of chain was etched with enochian symbols preventing Castiel from being able to break them or disappear. They curled around his legs and arms holding him fast.

The witch pulled away from Castiel, taking advantage of the chaos to escape, but she wasn’t fast enough. Dean sunk his blade into her chest. She toppled over, dead, her blood puddling and staining the carpet beneath her.

Everyone looked at Castiel, expecting the chains to drop when the witch died, but it seemed that something else was controlling them. Something that Sam and Dean had never fought before. Something that was stronger even than Castiel. Everyone rushed to his side and pulled at the chains that wrapped tighter and tighter around their friend, but they didn't budge. You watched in horror. You were completely helpless. And for the first time you saw fear in Castiel's eyes. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, he vanished, leaving the three of you alone in the library with no idea what had just happened to your angel.


	5. Finding Castiel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The three of you left the car and walked toward the towering abandoned building, hoping against all hope that Castiel was inside and alive."

The drive back to the hotel was hard. You, Sam, and Dean had searched the library for clues, but nothing explained where the chains came from or where Castiel had gone. Without clues, the three of you hoped some research. There wasn’t really anything else you could do. You sat in the backseat by yourself and you were avoiding looking at the empty spot where Castiel should have been sitting, for fear the tears would break through the wall holding back your flood of emotions.

Taking several deep breaths so your voice wouldn’t break, you asked Sam and Dean, “What did she mean she was supposed to have my soul? I don’t understand how I am a part of this.”

“I’ve been going through that in my mind too,” Dean said, “Cas said he rescued you. From what? Can you give us details on what attacked you. I know you probably don’t want to relive those memories right now, but we need you to, for Cas.”

You nodded. They were right, and you would do anything to save Castiel. You gripped your knees to calm your shaking hands and told them the story of the night Castiel had saved your life.

 

“Can you describe the men more?” Sam asked when you were finished.

You closed your eyes and concentrated. “They were skinny, very skinny,” you recalled, “but it was dark, everything was in shadow...its hard to remember.”

Dean spoke up, “Maybe they weren’t after you. I mean they were, but what if it was a trap for Cas?”

“Then they should have come better prepared,” you replied, “Castiel dropped them all in seconds. They barely stood a chance.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time someone has underestimated Cas,” Dean said almost smiling.

“But what would want to hurt Castiel,” you asked, still not understanding.

“That’s what we’ve got to find out,” Dean said, turning the impala into the motel parking lot.

 

Back in the room Sam pulled out his laptop and began researching. None of you wanted to sleep, even though it was getting very late. There was just too much to think and worry about. Castiel never appeared, and you all assumed that whatever took him also prevented him from leaving.

The room was getting stuffy and you were wearing the carpet thin from your pacing. Dean sat on the bed and the three of you bounced ideas off of eachother long into the night. Finally Sam found something.

“Listen to this,” he said, his voice expressing a bit of relief at finally having found a lead, “The vrykolakas were an ancient greek mythological creature with a taste for blood. These creatures are often linked with vampires but did not have the same craving for human blood, preferring instead the blood of other mythological creatures, namely demons and angels.”

“Well that sounds like a possibility,” Dean said hopefully.

“There’s more,” Sam said, not taking his eyes off the screen. “It says here that the last vrykolaka was said to have been killed by a Spartan soldier named Aeimnestus way back around 479 BC.”

“Maybe it wasn’t the last one,” You suggested, “Maybe there are still a few out there killing angels but nobody knows about it. I mean you guys hadn’t even heard of real angels until a few years ago, right. A creature like this could easily go unnoticed.”

Sam scrolled further down the page until he stopped on a picture that caught his eye. The three of you hunched over the screen. The image was of a vrykolaka. Its dull gray skin looked as if it had been stretched over its bones. But the thing that caught your eye was the angel it held captive. The angel’s arms were at its side and chains etched with symbols were wrapped tightly around its body, holding its wings folded up on its back. A trickle of blood seeped from a wound in the angel’s neck and into a cup that the vrykolaka held in its outstretched hand.

“Is this what is happening to Castiel?” you asked. Suddenly you felt sick at the thought and sat down on the bed.

“Bastards!” Dean said, putting his hands to his head as if trying to hold in his anger.

Sam noticed the expression on your face.

“Were going to find him,” he assured you, “We aren’t going to stop until we get him back.”

You knew Sam meant well, but you didn’t see how you were supposed to find this vrykolaka. And once you did, how were you supposed to kill it.

Dean calmed down a bit later and Sam went on researching. Around 4:00 am Dean had fallen asleep on one of the beds and Sam was fighting to keep his eyes open. Giving up, he shut his laptop and sprawled out on the sleeping bag on the floor.

“I know you feel like you can’t sleep,” he told you “But it would be good to try. There isn’t anything we can do for Cas right now.”

You gave him a small smile and thanked him for his encouragement and then reached over and turned off the light. 

It was only a few minutes until you could hear the soft snores coming from both of the Winchester brothers. You couldn't get to sleep. The small motel room made you feel enclosed. You knew that it was stupid to go out alone, but you were in desperate need of fresh air.

You quietly slipped out of bed and very cautiously stepped over Sam asleep on the floor. Making sure you didn’t lock yourself out, you left the motel room and emerged into the cold night air. The moon was bright and lit your path. As you walked into the middle of the parking lot you looked up at the sky. There wasn’t a single cloud and you could see thousands of stars, even against the bright light of the moon. A breeze tousled your hair. You sat on a short cement barrier in the middle of the parking lot, completely alone. You were silent for a long while but then spoke.

“Castiel?” You said to the darkness, hesitating slightly between your words, “You told me once that you heard my prayer... I don’t know if you can hear me right now... or if you are even listening, but I want to let you know that we’re looking for you... And we are never going to stop until we find you. You saved my life and I am going to save yours... I miss you...”

Your tone changed a little and you tried stay positive.

“I wish you were here and we could fall asleep together like before. Well, I would sleep anyhow.” You gave a slight smile at the memory.

“The backseat of the impala still smells like rain... Like you. When I see you again I’m going to ask about that.” You let out a sigh.

“It breaks my heart to think of what they must be doing to you,” you confessed, the smile leaving your face. “Stay strong. At least until we can find you. ”

A tear slipped down your cheek, but you didn’t brush it away. You closed your eyes and whispered a little quieter, as if your next words were more delicate than the first.

“...I love you Castiel.”

When you awoke in the morning the sun was already up, as were Sam and Dean. Sam was pouring over his computer again while Dean cleaned his guns on the bed.

“Morning,” Dean said with forced cheerfulness, “We thought we’d just let you sleep. Still haven’t made any more progress toward finding Cas.”

“We have been thinking though,” Sam said glancing at Dean and then back to you. “When those men attacked you, the vrykolakas that is, they were probably using you as bait. We have seen other reports of similar occurrences and it seems that they were attacking girls, hoping that an angel would show up. Lucky for you one did, but not so lucky for Cas. When he killed the ones in the alley the rest probably set up another plan, a trap for revenge, offering your soul as a reward to the witch for luring him into that library.”

“How would they give her my soul?” you asked.

“It might just have been an empty promise,” Dean said, “They probably don’t even know how to reap souls. Not many creatures can. Anyway they're probably glad I killed the witch. That’s one less loose end for them to tie off.”

“So now we know the why,” you stated, “but how do we find him?”

Sam hesitated. “We still don’t know.”

You nodded trying to stay calm. “What about killing the vrykolakas?”

“We don’t know that either,” Dean said, “I’m going to make some calls. See if any other hunters have ever run into something like this before and if they can tell us anything.”

You hated waiting, feeling helpless while somewhere far away your angel was in pain.

 

Several days passed. You prayed to Castiel every night, telling him any progress that you, Sam, and Dean were making, but mostly you spoke words of comfort and hoped that he could hear you. 

On the sixth day Dean came running in the door of the diner where the three of you were eating breakfast. He had stepped out to answer a phone call from Garth, an old friend of theirs, and you assumed by his expression that it had been good news.

“Garth got a hit on a warehouse outside of Salt Lake City. He’s sure its the vrykolakas. Garth is a little busy right now, something about possessed wendigos, but we could be at the warehouse in five hours.”

You realized you weren’t hungry anymore and Sam tossed a couple bills on the table, the three of you walking briskly to the impala. 

 

The drive was mostly silent. All of you were nervous and anxious about the vrykolakas and especially what condition you might find Castiel in. Was he even still alive? It had been a week. You couldn’t give up hope.

Alone in the back seat you whispered so that Sam and Dean couldn’t hear, “Were coming Castiel, just hang on a little longer.”

Dean brought the car to a stop outside the old warehouse at the address Garth had given him.

“This is it,” he said, “Lets hope Cas is in there... and that it’s not too late.”

The three of you got out of the impala as quietly as possible and opened the trunk.

“We still don’t know how to kill this thing,” you reminded them in a hushed voice.

“We’ll just bring the basics and hope one of them does the trick,” Dean explained. He handed you a sawed off shotgun and quickly explained how to use it. Sam grabbed the rest of the weapons and the three of you left the car and walked toward the towering abandoned building, hoping against all hope that Castiel was inside and alive.

 

Sam cringed as the door squeaked when he opened it. Inside was dark and cold and smelled faintly like sawdust and rust. You walked down a short hallway following closely behind Dean. The floor was strewn with bits of garbage and a few empty offices lines the hallway, suggesting that it had been some time since this building had been in use. The three of you rounded the corner and the hallway opened up into a large storage room. Old pallets and crates were scattered along the outer walls, their wood rotting in the puddles of dirty water that dripped down from broken pipes above. The cement floor was cracked and dirty. Rusted steel beams stretched from the ground to the ceiling where they met with a jumble of rafters that held up the tin roof. The occasional weed twisted its way into the building through slits in the sheet metal walls. 

In the center of the room a circle of flame surrounded a hunched figure in a trench coat. He was kneeling on the floor, his head down, his back arched over, and his blue tie dragging on the ground. Blood was soaked into his collar and white shirt, trickling down from a cut on his neck. His arms were outstretched, each chained in opposite directions. The chains were the same you had seen before, etched with symbols, and they held his wrists so close to the circle of fire that you were sure the flames licked his fingertips. But he didn’t flinch. He didn’t move. He didn’t even notice you were there. And your heart broke for Castiel.

You wanted desperately to run to him, but Sam put his hand on your arm, suggesting that it was not a good idea. And then you noticed the other figures stepping out from the shadows. Three of them, all with discolored, stretched skin and blood red eyes. The vrykolakas. They had been waiting for you.

The vrykolakas didn’t speak but sauntered toward the three of you. Sam pulled his shotgun up to his shoulder and fired at the nearest one, but he barely flinched and then resumed his pace toward you.

When the first one reached Dean he stabbed it in the chest with the demon knife, but it just pulled the knife from its skin and dropped it to the floor.

The vrykolakas were only feet away from you now and you raised the shotgun and fired into the nearest ones face. It hesitated and you didn’t waste a moment, firing a second shot.

“Any ideas?” Sam shouted to Dean.

The vrykolaka now had its hands around Dean’s throat, choking the life out of him. Sam used the butt of his gun to bash the third creature on the temple, knocking it to the ground. It bared its teeth and yanked the gun from Sam’s hands. Sam pulled out a knife smeared with dead man’s blood and thrust it into the monster’s stomach, but this too had no effect. You cowered a little and fired the shotgun again and again until you were out of rounds, even though it wasn’t doing any good. One creature took a swipe at you with its claws, leaving a cut on your side. But you didn’t cry out, your adrenaline letting you forget about your wound.

“Sam! What should I do?” you yelled. You both looked around feeling completely out of options. Then you spotted the old can of gasoline. Sam saw it too. He glanced at you, then charged at the blood-sucker suffocating Dean, pulling its hands from his brother’s throat. All three vrykolakas looked at the Winchester’s, leaving you unnoticed. Sam and Dean put up a good fight, but were no match for the creatures’ long claws and inhuman strength. Dean was clawed across his chest, thick claws easily tearing through his shirt. Sam was knocked to the ground. Moving quickly, you pulled the gas can from the floor and splashed its contents on the grey thin flesh of their attackers. Then, as if he had known the plan all along, Dean flicked his lighter and tossed it on the creatures, the tiny flame quickly growing until it had engulfed two of the vrykolakas. The third twisted its body avoiding the flames, the same way Sam and Dean had. In a matter of seconds the fire reduced the two to a charred pile of flaming bones. The smoke twisted toward the ceiling setting off the sprinkler system. Water rained down from above, extinguishing the bones and drenching everything.

After seeing what you had just done to the other vrykolakas, the third spun on its heels staring straight at you with a fierce look of violent hatred. You knew that your life might as well be over. You turned around, frantically searching the shelves behind you, reaching for any kind of weapon that you might use against this monster. It charged at you. You clasped your fingers around a thin metal object laying on one of the shelves, water droplets splashing on its shiny surface. You didn’t know what it was but it resembled a short sword and was pointed at one end. You spun around just as the vrykolaka collided with you, the chrome blade sinking deep into its chest. The force of its impact knocked you over and it fell on top of you. A trickle of blood dripped from its mouth and the deep red color of its eyes seemed to dull and its body went limp. You felt crushed under its weight and gasping you tried to push it off of you. Sam and Dean were there in an instant, shoving the warm corps off your body, the hilt of the metal sword still protruding from its flesh. Its blood mixed with the water on the floor spreading quickly and turning the concrete red.

Dean looked down at you in amazement.

“How did you know about the angel sword,” he asked.

“The what?” you asked not understanding. The adrenaline was fading and you started to feel pain again. You folded your body forward slightly holding the claw mark on your side. It hurt like hell.

“That metal thing you just stabbed the guy with. They probably took it off of Cas,” Sam said. “Wait, you mean to tell me that you didn’t even know what it was?”

You shook your head, gritted your teeth against the pain, and took a deep breath before replying, “It was just the closest sharp object, I had no idea it would be that effective.”

Both brothers helped you to your feet and as soon as you could stand, you rushed to Castiel.

The water had extinguished the circle of flames but Castiel hadn’t moved from his position. You knelt in front of him and cupped his face in your hands, lifting it so you could look into his eyes. But they were closed.

“Castiel?” you cried, tears mixing with the water falling on your face. “Castiel, I’m here.”

You put one hand behind his head and pulled him into a hug, carefully avoiding his bleeding neck. You held him tight as if simply by wishing hard enough you might wake him up and everything would be alright. 

Sam and Dean searched the shelves and found an old pair of bolt cutters, breaking the chains that held Castiel’s wrists. His arms fell limply as his restraints were cut. 

“It’s over now, Castiel,” you whispered into his ear, “I told you we’d come.”

You didn’t let go of him.

Sam and Dean didn’t know what to do.

Suddenly you felt the angel stir. He raised his head slightly and you pulled back to look at his face. His eyes were as blue as ever but seemed tired. His expression was a mixture of relief and pain, but he was alive. You smiled and through your tears and pulled him into another embrace. His arms reached up to hug you in return, sliding up your back and holding you close.

“Dean, get the car,” Sam said, realizing that Castiel was too weak to walk that far.

Dean rushed out the door and Sam helped you situate Castiel in a more comfortable position, pulling his knees out from under him and laying him on the wet concrete. 

Looking at the gash on Castiel’s neck, Sam spoke. “Cas, can you heal yourself? You have lost a lot of blood and we need this cut to stop bleeding.”

Castiel shook his head weakly and Sam knew that he meant he wasn’t strong enough.

Sam got up and glanced around the room.

“Stay with Cas,” he told you, “I’ll be back,” and then left to find some sort of bandage in the first aide kit in the impala.

Castiel weakly squeezed your hand. “I knew you’d come,” he said, smiling slightly, “I heard your prayers.”

You smiled down at him and placed your hand on his cheek. The water soaked your hair and rinsed the blood from his clothes.

“I’m just returning the favor,” you said trying to keep the water out of his eyes.

Sam and Dean returned a few minutes later and they helped you carry Castiel out of the wet and blood-splattered warehouse outside into the evening sun. Sam and you helped the angel out of his wet coat and then Dean set to work stitching up his wounded neck. When he was finished, the three of you moved Castiel into the car. Sam and Dean carried him, carefully maneuvering him into the back seat while you came in the opposite door and helped. You sat in your usual spot with Castiel’s head cradled in your lap and shut the door behind you.

“This seems familiar,” you joked and Castiel smiled. Dean tossed the wet trench coat in the trunk with the weapons they retrieved from the warehouse and the first aide kit. He shut the trunk, then thinking, he opened it again, pulled out a blanket and tossed it to you through the open window.

“I usually keep one back here in case we have to sleep on the road, but I think Cas could use it about now,” he told you and climbed in the driver’s seat. Sam climbed in the impala as well and looked back at Castiel making sure that everything was okay.

You unfolded the blanket and spread it over the angel on the back seat, gently tucking it around him. You ran your fingers through his hair as Dean recounted to Castiel what had happened with the vrykolakas. He looked up at you weakly and smiled as if he had known what you were capable of all along.

“I told you,” he said, “You are stronger than you think.”

You smiled, and as Dean started up the car, you knew everything was going to be okay.

Dean pulled the impala onto the main highway and turned right, driving away from the city lights. You didn’t know where you were going, and at the moment you didn’t care. You just knew that you never wanted to go back to your one bedroom apartment, your day job, or your meaningless life. Now you had purpose. Now you had adventure. Now you had Castiel and the Winchester brothers. A guardian angel and the most loyal friends you could ever ask for. What more could anyone possibly need?


	6. Epilogue

Castiel regained his strength quickly, healing himself the next day. He also healed the gashes on Dean’s chest and your side.

After driving most of the night and into the late morning, Dean had parked the impala on the side of the road and the four of you got out to stretch your legs. Castiel retrieved his trench coat from the trunk and surprisingly it was completely dry. Sam’s phone rang and he answered it. It was Garth. The call was brief but you understood from Sam’s side of the conversation that Garth had another job for them. After hanging up, Sam filled the rest of you in.

“Looks like Garth is having some trouble in Colorado and wants us to help him out. Just a shapeshifter,” Sam said, “nothing we can’t handle.”

“Then you won’t mind if we sit this one out?” Castiel asked, taking your hand in his.

Dean understood.

“Not at all,” he said, and the two brothers walked back to the impala. “Just have her back by 10:00,” he joked over his shoulder and then shut the door. 

You and Castiel stood on the roadside and watched as the black ‘67 chevy impala pulled away and drove down the stretch of highway, leaving the two of you alone.

When it was out of sight Castiel turned to face you.

“Remember when I told you that I heard your prayers?” he asked and you nodded in response. “Did you think I had forgotten the last thing you said the night I was taken? Because I didn’t... I couldn’t. It was the only thing that kept me fighting.”

The angel stepped closer to you and took both your hands in his. You looked up into his blue eyes. He paused for a moment and then softly spoke your name.

“I love you too,” he said.

Then he placed a hand on your cheek and slowly lowered his chin until his lips met yours. You closed your eyes as his skin brushed against you. His touch was tender and his kiss intimate, slow, and soft. It was everything you had ever hoped for in a kiss. After a long moment he pulled away. You smiled shyly, blushing. He looked at you the way you had always wished someone would. With gentle compassion and concern, but mostly love. You felt overwhelmed with emotions and threw your arms around his neck. He hugged you back, squeezing you tightly as if he would never let go. You buried your face in his trench coat, inhaling his familiar scent and forever connecting it to this perfect moment. Castiel relaxed his grip and whispered in your ear.

“Where would you like to go,” he asked, resting his hands on your hips, “Anywhere in the world. I can take you right now.”

“You’ve seen it all,” you said, looking up at him, “You probably know all the good spots. Surprise me.”

He smiled.

“I had hoped you’d say that,” he said before holding his hand out to you.

You felt the warmth of his fingers as you put your hand in his, and together you disappeared from the roadside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Podfic of this work is also available!
> 
> https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0sKBunVJHT0cHY0czdNWFhOSWs/edit?usp=sharing


End file.
